Due to the considerable technical progress within recent years, fuel cells are a serious alternative to non-rechargeable and rechargeable batteries. One of the last advantages of rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries in mobile fields of use was the user friendliness based on universal availability and easy handling. But the fuel cell technology has also caught up in this field: For example, for supplying fuel to fuel cells, exchangeable single-use or multi-use fuel cartridges are provided, which can be simply handled similar to batteries and which are coupled to cartridge connection devices for connection to the fuel cells (for example, by insertion into a cartridge compartment) and which are equipped with a suitable interface for extracting the fuel. These types of cartridges are described in the European patent application with the application number 200101126949.
Even if the duration of operation of electrical loads can with the use of these types of cartridges exceed by many times that of similar sized batteries, often a running time free of interruption is desired which exceeds the capacity of a cartridge filling (“endless operation”). Furthermore, especially with those devices which are used both in mobile and stationary fields of use, the possible selection between fuel supply by means of a fuel cartridge or a stationary fuel tank would be advantageous.
In view of these aspects, it is an object of the invention to extend the usage potential of devices equipped for fuel cartridge supply and therefore to generally improve the possible uses of fuel cell technology.